


Night Raid

by Altarian



Category: Kingdom Come: Deliverance (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Gen, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:55:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27667796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altarian/pseuds/Altarian
Summary: Radzig Kobyla is captured at Talmberg and Henry volunteers to rescue him.  Only this time, he knows exactly where to find him. And so the tale happens a little differently.Translation of my work Noční útok.
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Noční útok](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27435004) by [Altarian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altarian/pseuds/Altarian). 



> Hi, I attempted to translate my previous work into english. I used google translate and than tried to polish it a bit. I was suprised how good the translation actually was. It really improved over the years. However I am aware that it is not perfect and neither is my attempt at improving it. So please excuse the mistakes and bad phrases and read at your own peril. If you could let me now how bad (or possibly good?) it was, I would much appreciate it.

A group of men crept through the darkness to the walls of Talmberg. The silence of the night was occasionally broken by a louder rustle of clothing or a whispered curse from a couple carrying a ladder. They walked slowly, carefully, as the slope below the walls was littered with boulders and smaller loose stones. One careless step would be enough and everything could be lost. So when one of the men's leg twisted on a stone hidden in tall grass, his companion, walking right behind him, did not hesitate for a moment and quickly caught the falling body before it could hit the ground causing a disaster.

"Lord Capon!" blurted Henry, clenching all his muscles to keep the two of them from rolling down the slope. "Careful now, I don't want to fish you out of the creek down there," he continued as he helped Capon back to his feet. "Perhaps you should have changed your mind about going with us, those rocky slopes cannot be compared to the Rattay’s..." Henry's voice gradually faded. He didn't see anything in the dark, but he could literally feel Hans Capon glaring at him.

"Henry," the young nobleman said condescendingly, "don´t you worry. My abundance of night experience is yet to come to play! How many times have _you_ had to sneak through the night? Being faithful to your Theresa…” Before Henry could answer, Capon continued. "Pribyslavitz doesn’t count, that was only once and you had more luck than common sense.

Henry wisely decided to remain silent and not to start another quarrel, which he could not win. Unless he wanted to confess to his secret night errands for millers from around the Sasau river. And since he was now the son of a nobleman (albeit illegitimate), he certainly did not plan to. So he just sighed, patted Capon on the shoulder to indicate that he was giving up in this verbal battle and continued to plod upward.

The whole group stopped at the walls and they waited in silence, watching the lights flicker above them marking the passage of the guards. After a while, they were assured that the patrol system matched what the captured messenger had described to them. All of them breathed a sigh of relief. The chances of success seemed to have just increased. The men with the ladder began to raise it, and Henry remembered how they had gotten this far.

***

After Henry volunteered for the night raid and Sir Divish approved it, he wanted to go that very night. However, he soon realized that it would not be so easy. Ladders had to be found, but there were none long enough in the whole village, so they had to have them made. Furthermore, Sir Robard had to select a few other men who would have experience with this type of attack. Several were found, but after the night battle at Vranik and then the long march on Talmberg, they were simply too tired to launch another night attack. It was also necessary to set up camps for the army, provide supplies, get the necessary equipment… Before Sir Robard finished with handing out the tasks and listing everything that needed to be arranged Henry’s head was already swimming. He knew he should go to rest. His whole body still ached after Istvan's lackey had beaten him on Vranik. Participating in the battle didn't help either, but he couldn't imagine lying down and falling asleep. He felt a strange restlessness both in body and soul. He couldn't stop thinking about what Istvan Toth had told him, rather maliciously, as he had hung helplessly from the beam. In the heat of battle, he focused only on the present to keep himself alive, but now that the fighting had passed, a whole range of conflicting emotions came upon him. Anger, betrayal, sadness at the loss of his father, but also joy of getting a new one, uncertainty of what it would all mean for him, fear that Radzig would die before he could save him and leave him with a lot of unanswered questions, forever thinking of might-have-beens. Sir Robard's voice tore him from this whirlwind of thoughts.

"Henry, come here!" As he approached, Robard continued: "I have a task for you. Seeing you, you don't look like you're going to bed. Even if it is the most sensible thing you could do... So you'll join the men I'm sending to Rattay. You'll pick up the equipment you'll need tomorrow night. "

"Tomorrow?!" Henry interrupted in surprise. Before he could protest, Sir Robard's raised hand stopped him.

"That’s right, tomorrow. If you haven't understood already, men must rest, the assault must be planned. Sir Divish has given me command in this matter, so either you will follow my orders or you can forget being part of it. And do not even think of doing something on your own!” Robard accompanied the last sentence with a frown and a warning finger raised.

Henry remembered guiltily the day he had defied Robard's orders, and what it led to. From the way the knight looked, it was clear to him that he was thinking about the same thing.

"Don't worry, Sir Robard. I won't let you down again. It‘s just… I'm worried about my... father." The word still didn't roll smoothly from his tongue.

"I understand, boy. And you can rest assured, we will save Sir Ragzig and Lady Stephanie. But we must not underestimate anything. So, will you go to Rattay?”

"Yes, sir." Henry did not hesitate.

"Very well. They know you well in Rattay so it will be easier for you to get what we need. Stop by Captain Bernard first. He'll give you a credential to show the warden at the guardhouse. You will fing everything you need there.” Robard paused for a moment, then continued. "You've got experience, so I don't have to remind you but still – black, or at least dark, light clothes, no metal."

"Trust me, sir. I know exactly what to take," assured Henry the talmberg captain confidently. Robard nodded thoughtfully.

"All right, Henry. Leave as soon as possible and do not linger anywhere along the way. I'm awaiting you back before sunset.” Robard waited until Henry confirmed with a slight nod that he understood and then immediately turned away and set out to give further orders.

Henry checked the sun and thought it was almost noon. They should be able to get back long before dark without any problems. Preparations for the journey took only a moment and then Henry, with four men on his heels, set off in the direction of Rattay. They rode in silence, everyone was tired, but determined to do their job. They arrived in Rattay an hour after noon and decided to stop at a pub for something to eat before they went to the guardhouse. And some beer, or two. Henry was not at all surprised when he came across Sir Hans Capon in the pub. He sent his companions to go and eat without him and sat down across from Capon, who was already waving at him.

"Henry, you're just in time! I have been getting bored out of my mind. A messenger arrived in the morning, saying that you had won at Vranik, but then you had to quickly leave for Talmberg…, and no news have arrived since. So tell me what happened?” Henry just sighed, wondering where to start. First he ordered some meal and then he briefly described the whole situation to Capon. During his narration, the young nobleman became more and more agitated, until he finally couldn't stand it and shouted in indignation:

"Well, that‘s rich! Everyone goes on such a magnificent quest and Hanush leaves me at home! How can I prove to him my worth if he always lets me sitting on Pirkstein while there is a fighting somewhere.” Immediately afterwards, he scratched his neck in embarrassment and added: “I'm sorry about Lady Stephanie and Sir Radzig, of course.” Then he peeked at Henry as if he has just remembered something. "Listen Hal, what do you think of Radzig being your father?" I can't believe it!"

"Please, sir, I'd rather not talk about it right now. I don't know what to think about it. It's too fresh for me.” While saying that Henry looked everywhere but at Capon and changed the subject quickly. "And you don‘t sit at home all the time. When Wolflin of Kamberg was looting the farms here, you rode with Captain Bernard too."

"All right, Henry, you've escaped this time, but we'll get back to it," Capon threatened him in good-naturedly. "And about the robber – remember that in the end there was no fight. Someone just walked into the middle of their camp and convinced them to leave. Well, that's all in the past. The important thing is that this time no one will leave me behind. Hanush is not here to forbid me anything, so I'm coming with you tomorrow night. I will help you save Radzig and Lady Stephanie," he said firmly, accompanying his words by pounding his fist on the table so strongly that the beer mugs rattled.

At first, Henry was speechless and just stared at Capon. Then he cleared his throat and asked cautiously: "Are you sure, sir? It will be dangerous," he added rather simply, but nothing better came to his mind at that moment.

"Of course I am. Don't you even try to talk me out of it, I've already made my mind.” The young nobleman finished his beer and stood up. "Enough talk. I'm going to order the grooms to get my horse ready and we'll meet at the guardhouse. I have to choose something there, too.” After these words, he walked away from the pub with a light step and apparently in a great mood. Henry hid his head in his hands. How is he going to explain this to Sir Robard?


	2. Chapter 2

At the guardhouse, the custodian led them into a cellar, showed them where the required equipment was stored and then discreetly disappeared. Henry was surprised by the amount of things they had there. As he rummaged through the heaps of clothes, he wondered how often this gear was used. What did Sir Hanush actually needed it for? However, it came in very handy now. He didn't have to roam around and look for bandits to undress or to buy from the tailor with his own groshen. All the men had to try each piece of equipment several times before finding one that would suit them well. Henry had only gloves left to find and he was starting to worry about Sir Capon. Where the hell was he? Suddenly the door opened and the nobleman entered.

"Let's see what's in there for me," he said without greeting, walking straight to the chests. Henry's companions bowed and cleared the way. Meanwhile, Henry finally pulled out some gloves that fit him and then watched in amusement as Hans Capon rummaged through the chests with a disgusted look on his face.

"Good God, am I really supposed to put this on?" The nobleman sighed heavily, waving a tunic in front of Henry's eyes. It looked like it has been through a lot.

"You still have time to back off. No one will blame you," smiled Henry insolently at him.

"Enough of the cheek, peasant. I'm not some coward giving up," said Capon, but there was no anger in his voice. Since they first met, their relationship has undergone a major transformation. It could be said that they were almost friends, if such a thing was possible between a nobleman and a commoner. When Capon called him a peasant, Henry knew that he was threading on thin ice. Then it was his choice to withdraw or push some more and cross the line.

"Of course, sir," replied Henry amicably. After all, they were not alone and in public he tried to behave more respectfully than in private. As a sign of goodwill, he went and helped Sir Capon to find everything he needed. When they were leaving the guardhouse, they were delayed by the custodian. He insisted that each borrowed piece had to be recorded in his books. So that no one could accuse him of cheating.

When they finally found themselves in the fresh air (or at least as fresh as possible in Rattay), the sun was much lower in the sky. But there was still plenty of time until dusk. Nevertheless, Henry decided not to delay, so they loaded the bundles of clothing onto their horses and set off for Talmberg. Along the way, Sir Capon showered them with a number of hilarious hunting stories, one more outrageous than the other. However, the stream of stories slowly thinned the closer they were to Talmberg until it dried up completely. Capon then nudged his horse to Henry‘s and whispered to him:

"Listen, Hal, do you think you could accompany me when I go to see my uncle? You know, you could put in a good word for me. We'll tell him you asked me if I could help you and of course I couldn't turn down my friend."

Since Capon was a bit behind him and could not see his face, Henry allowed himself to roll his eyes. That was how it always ended. The young lord came up with some outrageous idea, got him involved and in the end it was always Henry who had to pull them both out of trouble. And yet he always acquiesced. Later, he defended himself by saying that, as a subject, he could not refuse his master's request. But deep down he knew that he was actually enjoying Capon‘s crazy ideas and he liked to remember them when they met in a pub for a beer... or five.

"Of course, sir, I'll be honoured," he replied, making a slightly exaggerated bow in the saddle. Capon just muttered something and retreated. No doubt he knew that Henry was making fun of him again, but he was too keen on in his help to risk offending him and losing it.

Soon they were riding among the first houses of the village below Talmberk. Henry turned to his four companions, who kept their distance during the journey, a little uneasy in the presence of the nobleman. "Report to Sir Robard on my behalf. Tell him I had to see Sir Hanush in an urgent matter.” They nodded and headed for the quarry. Henry and Sir Capon stood in the middle of the road.

"Now we have to find Sir Hanush," said Henry, looking around as if expecting Hanush to emerge from behind the nearest cottage.

"Wait, are you telling me you don't know where he is?" asked Capon in astonishment.

"When I left, it was still being decided where the camps would be built," snapped Henry. "We'll just find the nearest guard and ask."

"As you say, Henry. Lead on.”

Henry muttered to himself something about ungrateful birds, but he was careful to keep his voice down. In the end, they were lucky. It turned out that Sir Hanush was staying in the camp not far from them. They left the horses on the edge of the camp and continued on foot. Hanush‘s booming voice could be heard from a distance. It was easily recognizable and its owner did not bother to keep it down even in church. When they emerged from behind the tents, they saw the Rattay lord talking to Sir Divish. He immediately noticed them as well and fell silent in the middle of a sentence.

"Uncle!" said Hans Capon cheerfully. "Sir Divish," he added with a slight nod.

"Sir Hanush," Henry bowed. "Sir Divish."

Hanush glanced at Henry for a moment, then turned his gaze squarely back to his ward. Divish returned their greetings and then withdrew. He sensed that the following conversation did not concern him. At the same time, however, he suspected that it could become a welcomed source of distraction.

"Nephew," Hanush said to Capon in a surprisingly calm voice, "I hope you have a damn good explanation for your presence."

"My lord, I am the reason for Sir Capon presence," admitted Henry in his best apologetic tone. "By chance, we came across each other in Rattay, where I was on an assignment for Sir Robard. And as he had no news from us, I went to explain the situation to him. Of course, the conversation turned to our attempt at saving Lady Stephanie and my father. And at that moment it occurred to me that I could ask Sir Capon for help, for his experience with night expeditions is of legendary proportions. And Sir Capon, being a brave man and a good Christian, could not refuse his friend's request and agreed to join us.” Henry really tried, he put everything into it. All the lessons in the high-born speech that Capon gave him fell on fertile ground. As he spoke, his voice gained strength and conviction, accompanied by a sincere innocent look to indicate that its owner had done nothing wrong.

During Henry's speech, Hanush stood motionless, only his eyebrows rising higher and higher.

"That's right, uncle. When Henry asked me if I could help him save my father, I had to agree. Henry would have done the same, had the situation been reversed," Capon hurried to assist.

There was a silence interrupted only by the coughing of Sir Divish in the background, which was sounded suspiciously like a masked laughter. With a stony face, Hanush watched as the confident attitude of his nephew and Henry gradually turned into a hunched crouch of the culprits who knew they had been caught. When they began to rub their hands nervously, he couldn't stand it any longer and laughed heartily.

"You are a pair of fools who will drive me to an early grave," he said while his shoulders shook with laughter. "But lets do it your way. I don't care whose idea it was this time," he glanced at Hans to let him know that he knew how it really was. "You can both go tomorrow. And you, Henry, will look after this young man here so that nothing happens to him. "

"You can count on me, sir," bowed Henry.

"And now get out of my sight, both of you. I still have matters to discuss with Sir Divish." He turned his back on them and motioned for Divish to rejoin him.

Henry and Capon could not believe their luck. They did not wait for anything and took a quick retreat so that Hanush could not change his mind. When they were far enough, they looked at each other and suddenly laughed.

"Well, Hal! I can't believe we pulled this off! By the way, your speech was really impressive. I almost believed you myself. Thank you very much for saving me this time. "

"You're welcome. After all, it was my ass on the line too!” Then the two of them patted each other on the back to congratulate themselves on their success and went to the camp in the quarry.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was such a pain to translate. I used a lot of clomplicated sentences in Czech a so the google translator was more than a bit lost. As was I... I am sure the tenses are all mixed up, but I tried really hard and it took me insane amount of time. Can you tell me if the text makes some sense, please?
> 
> Also there is some swearing in this chapter and I must say the Czech is much more creative when it comes to curses.

In the camp, Henry first reported to Sir Robard and acquainted him with the change in plans. At first, Robard had doubts and tried to discourage Sir Capon from participating, however, Sir Hanush's permission overcame all his objections. He just shook his head and ordered the two young men to get out of his sight. Henry was given the rest of the day and night off, he was not to report for duty until the next morning.

After fulfilling this last duty, Henry suddenly became terribly tired. He thanked God for divesting himself of the plate armour before heading to Rattay. Now he just said goodbye to Sir Capon and stumbled into his assigned hut. There he took off the bare minimum of clothing necessary and then fell asleep as soon as he lay down on the bed.

He was roused from sleep by a hand on his shoulder. He felt as if he had barely closed his eyes, but then he realized that it was dark in the hut. The only light coming in was from a torch inserted in front of the entrance.

"Wake up, sir," said the guard kneeling beside him. "Sir Robard wants to see you. You are to come to the smithy right here in the quarry."

Henry blinked furiously to drive away the drowsiness and hurriedly searched for the boots he had thrown away. "What's going on?" he asked.

"A moment ago, patrol dragged here some fellow. It is said they caught him trying to sneak across a bridge in the village. "

Finally, having his boots on, Henry grabbed his sword and outer coat and followed the guard out. There they parted; the guard returned to his place and Henry headed for the shed with the smithy. He put on his coat along the way but did not fasten the scabbard with his sword. He carried it in his hand. Even from a distance he could see many torches and a cluster of figures. As he approached, one of the men alerted Sir Robard, who disengaged from the group and waved Henry to him.

"Sir Robard," Henry greeted him with a slight nod.

"Henry," nodded Robard in return. Then he gestured toward the smithy. Henry turned obediently and saw a man tied to one of the poles supporting the roof. From the way he hung in the ropes he thought him unconscious.

"The patrol told us they lowered him down from the walls of Talmberg. Our men caught him and stunned him - he ran into them right behind the bridge. The moron... probably didn't want to get his shoes wet," Robard told him, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe the prisoner's stupidity. "We found this in his bag. They say you can read, so I have had you woken up.” The Talmberg captain handed Henry a piece of folded paper and brought a torch closer to provide a better light. Henry reached for it eagerly with a trembling hand and held his breath – he might learn something about his father! But when he unfolded the paper, he was overwhelmed with disappointment. The writing was not in a language he understood. Only with great effort did he control himself so that his voice would not tremble.

"I'm sorry, sir, I am afraid I can't read it. I have never seen such words before… maybe it's Hungarian? It is probably a letter, I see some names - Tóth... Eric… oh, here is Sir Radzig's name…" Henry shrugged helplessly. "I can't tell you more."

The shadow of disappointment flickered in Sir Robard's eyes, but the knight quickly controlled himself. "It's all right, boy. We still have that one over there. He must know something and we will get it out of him," he said confidently.

"I doubt he will tell us voluntarily," said Henry, but in his mind he was already wondering how to approach the prisoner and make him talk.

"I wouldn't worry about that. There are many ways to make him sing," Robard replied in a sinister voice.

Henry shivered slightly whed he realized what ways Sir Robard had in mind. He himself was reluctant to resort to violence. Especially after that ugly episode with Runt. When the adrenaline had ran out of him and he could evaluate the whole situation in hindsight, he had been horrified by himself. He couldn't help but think about what his parents would have said; he had imagined the disappointment in his father's eyes and the sad face of his mother. He had looked into the face of unpleasant truth that day, and since then his fists had been the last choice used only when everything else has failed. The events of the last few days had somewhat eroded his convictions. The hatred he felt for Istvan and his companions was still boiling just below the surface, multiplied by worry about Radzig, but the memory off his dead parents managed to cool his blood – for now. He shook his head to drive away the gloomy thoughts and looked at Sir Robard with renewed determination.

"Sir, will you let me talk to him first? Maybe I can convince him to spill out what he knows," he said with more certainty than he felt. Robard narrowed his eyes and studied Henry for a moment.

"Why not, there's no harm in that. And if it doesn't work out, we can always squeez him." With that, Robard turned and headed back to the prisoner. "Come on, let's start, there's no reason to wait. Wake him up," he ordered. One of the guardsmen walked over to the tied man and slapped him with gusto so much that his head snapped back and then added another slap from the other side, just to be sure. Henry, meanwhile, leaned his sword against the anvil and waited with his arms folded. The guard was aiming for a third blow when the man groaned and opened his eyes. It took him a few seconds to understand where he was and what had happened. Then a stream of curses and insults came out of his mouth.

Henry stood up so that he could see the man well and addressed him: "What do they call you?" The prisoner interrupted his litany and tried to spit on Henry. But he only managed to splutter his chin which infuriated him even more and more insults spilt forth. Henry gathered his patience and tried again. "Look, you can see for yourself that you're in a deep shit. We know that you were in Talmberg and that you helped Toth. For that, you're sure to end up in the hands of an executioner. But you can still choose how you will leave this world. Whether it will be beheading orhanging. I heard that if he wants to, an executioner can prolong the hanging most painfully…" Henry paused for a moment for greater effect. "All you have to do is answer our questions truthfully and I will guarantee that your death will be swift and painless."

During Henry's speech, the tied man grinned mockingly and in the end he laughed outright. "Go fuck yourself," he snapped. "It's you who are neck-deep in shit, you just can't see it yet. I won't tell you nothing."

Henry found the captive's answer somewhat troubling. "Think about it and think really hard. I am asking you nicely, but if the executioner is called… Have you ever seen him at work?" Henry himself had never seen a torture, but Herman in Rattay had told him about it once and it was nothing he wanted to experience firsthand. The beating he had recievedatVranik seemed like a caress in comparison.

"Go to hell" replied the prisoner.

Henry took a deep breath and prepared to try again, but Sir Robard grabbed his arm and led him aside. "It's useless, Henry. You tried, but this arsehole isn't afraid of words. Not even good old fists. We will send to Rattay for the executioner, and he will crack this nut for us."

"I guess you're right, Sir Robard," nodded Henry. "Should I leave at once?"

Robard looked at him in astonishment. "Now? In the dark? Do you want to break your neck on the way? Anyway, why do you think it should be you?" The Talmberg captain called one of the guards. "You will wake up two more men and keep an eye on the prisoners. You, Henry, will go to Sir Bernard at dawn so he cansend someone for the executioner to Rattay. They will be back quickly once the sun is up. When he arrives, I want to know about it right away. If anything else happens, wake me." Robard looked at the prisoner one last time and then went to bed.

Henry helped the guards to check and strengthen the prisoner's handcuffs, arranged with them to wake him at dawn and waited until reinforcements arrived. Then he lay restlessly in the bed for a long time and could not sleep.

The rest of the night went smoothly and the messenger and executioner arrived in record time. However, the speed of the journey was to the detriment of the executioner's comfort. Herman was not used to the saddle, so after dismounting he squirmed painfully and walked with his legs strangely apart. However, neither Sir Robard nor Henry had much understanding for the poor man's problems and as soon as he straightened up a bit, they ordered him to work.

The prisoner paled a little at the sight of the executioner and his instruments, but he continued with his false bravado, loudly throwing curses all around him. This lasted until the first special knife plunged into his body. Then the words turned into an incomprehensible screaming and howling. Henry did not want to be present for the torture. But because he knew his way around the smithy, he was put in charge of the fire and bellows. And so now he stood by the blazing hearth, shoving iron rods into it and trying not to think about what they would use it for. He preferred to imagine that he was back in the smithy in Skalitz and that he and his father were going to make horseshoes. It was a nice fantasy, but painful screams and the smell of blood quickly drew his mind to the day Sigismund's army had destroyed his home. Henry shuddered and stabbed the iron into the embers so angrily that a cloud of sparks erupted.

Fortunately, they did not get to the actual burning. Herman called to Henry to bring him one of the rods, but the prisoner only had one look at the shining tip and all the remnants of courage left him. He began to sob and the pungent smell of urine mingled with the smell of blood. Without a word, Henry handed the iron rod to the executioner and hurried out of the forge. He sat behind it for a few minutes with his eyes closed, thanking God that the man had given up before they could use the iron. He also wondered how would he behaved had he been in the prisoner's place. How much pain would have he endured before losing the last remnants of his dignity and turning into a sobbing wreck begging for mercy. For what or whom would he be willing to undergo such a pain? He hoped he would never have to find out.

As he emerged from behind the smithy, Sir Robard's knowing gaze rested on him. But the knight did not comment on Henry's weak moment. Herman, meanwhile, packed his tools and walked away to a nearby shelter, but he was still on hand in case the prisoner changed his mind.

As the morning was already underway, Robard decided to send for Sir Divish and Sir Hanush so that they could be present for the interrogation. Henry gladly took charge of this task. It was a good opportunity to stretch and clear his head. He found the noblemen at breakfast. As they ate, he informed them of the whole affair with the captured messenger. The two lords did not want to miss the interrogation and while they were getting ready to travel, Henrytook advantage of the remains of their breakfast. The whole expedition set out back to the quarry. In addition to the two lodrs, four bodyguards and a scribe traveled with them so that he could make a record of the whole thing.

In the quarry, Henry found out that Lord Capon had joined Sir Robard. When they reached the smithy, he noticed that someone had washed the prisoner and changed his clothes and the ground beneath him was freshly sprinkled with sand. Herman was still sitting nearby, sharpening the blade of his ax. Apparently he had been ordered to stay and be ready for carrying out the execution immediately.

When they came to the prisoner, he did not even raise his head. In front of them stood a broken man, deprived of all hope except for a quick and painless death. Gone was the swearing and arrogance. They were replaced by humility, resignation and an effort to please. And so he told them everything he could. His name was Zdenek and he had been born as the third son to a merchant from Kohl Janowitz. His father's business had been intended for his older brothers to inherit and he had decided to run away from home and try his luck in the world. This was followed by a story that all of them had heard in lot of variations too many times. One band of robbers had followed another, until he had finally found himself in the service of Istvan Toth. As a merchant's son, he had learned to read, write and count a little and he soon had had a not insignificant place in the gang. In fact, he had been quite lucky in his life - until now. The letter he had been carrying was intended for Eric, Istvan's aide. And Eric's task was to bring the army of Havel Medek of Valdek to the walls of Talmberg. At this point, Sir Divish perked up.

"Havel Medek?! What does he want here? Where is his army?" he asked sharply. But Zdenek did not know. However, his army was supposed to still be in Teinitz, waiting for a marching order to be delivered. Everyone present relaxed imperceptibly, reassured by the knowledge that there was no further catastrophe hanging above them right now.

"What about the Talmberg crew, how many men does Istvan Toth have?" asked Sir Robard. According to Zdenek, there could have been about fifteen of them, including him, which was less than Robard expected. Were it not for the hostages, they could have tried to conquer the castle with a direct attack.

"What about the hostages? Sir Radzig and Lady Stephanie? Do you know where are they held?" Henry couldn't stand it anymore and asked the question that concerned him the most.

"They're being held together, in the tower above the main gate. The door is locked and is always guarded by one guard. We couldn't spare more otherwise they would be missing elsewhere," replied Zdenek willingly. Henry almost cried out in joy. This would definitely help them in their night attack. Questions followed about the number of guards and the patrol system before finally deciding they knew everything they needed. Sirs Hanush and Divish then decided that Zdenek would stay alive for the time being in case there were other questions that he could know the answer to. Sir Divish also swore to him by his word of nobleman that for his willingness to cooperate, he was entitled to a quick death by beheading. Guards then led Zdenek, who was still handcuffed and sobbing with relief, to one of the huts. After that, Hanush and Divish went back to their camp to discuss how to defend themselves against a possible assault and Henry, Sir Robard and Hans Capon began to make plans for the night expedition.


	4. Chapter 4

Henry emerged from his thoughts just in time. The top end of the ladder leaned against the battlement with a light tap. The two men who were lifting it with great effort wiped their sweaty foreheads and gripped it tightly again. The other pair of men began to climb up, after checking the position of the guards above to make sure they wouldn't see them. Henry and Sir Capon watched them grimly. Earlier that day, when they had been making plans with Sir Robard, there had been an argument (one of many) about who would go up the walls first. Henry and Hans Capon both had insisted that it would be them, although each had had a different reason. Henry had been driven by the desire to free his father - he would have liked to be everywhere to make sure that nothing would go wrong. Capon had longed for his uncle's approval and believed that the easiest way to obtain it was through heroic deeds, like storming the enemy walls. However, Sir Robard had been worried about the hot-headedness of them both and had resolutely put his foot down. So now they were crouched near the ladder awaiting a signal. It seemed like an eternity but then: "Finally," said Sir Capon, showing his elbow into Henry and pointing to a hand with a torch waving from a gap in the battlement. The nobleman then waited for nothing and rushed toward the ladder so that Henry would not overtake him. Henry made sure his dagger was secure in its scabbard and then followed Hans Capon. One other man climbed the ladder behind him. The last one was supposed to stay behind on guard.

Up on the walls, they parted. The first pair of men headed for the southern wall that led around the residential palace. Henry, Sir Capon and the last member of their group, named Peter, headed north toward the gate. When they passed two limp bodies, Henry barely looked at them. He knew they would not rise up again. During their meeting, everyone had agreed almost immediately that they would not take prisoners. They had to be fast and they had to be quiet. And the surest way to silence a man was stabbing a dagger in his throat.

Henry went first. He stopped at a corner and stuck his head out carefully to look ahead. Then he jumped and quickly jerked his head back. "There are two of them, just as Zdenek said," he whispered. "But one of them is going towards us!" The three of them hesitated for a few seconds, looking at each other. Henry recovered first. "If he comes this far, I'll catch him and pull him over here. Sir Capon will make sure that he doesn't struggle too much. You, Peter, will watch the other one and if he hears us, you'll take care of him immediately," he said in a rush. There was only enough time for a quick nod; the man had just come out from behind the wall.

But luck was on their side. The guard did not turn immediately. He continued straight on, apparently wanting to look over the battlements. But he didn't make it that far. Two quick steps and Henry was upon him. He covered the man's mouth with one hand, wrapped the other one around his neck and squeezed hard. Then he dragged the guard back so that they were covered by a wall. The man was so surprised by the sudden attack that, at first, he had frozen completely and that cost him his life. Before he could defend himself properly, Sir Capon was standing next to him and grabbed his hands. Henry then squeezed the man's neck harder and jerked his head sharply to the side and back. The man wheezed and after a while the crack of a broken neck could be heard. Unfortunately, this movement loosened the iron hat that, up to this moment, had miraculously held on his head. Only Capon's swift reaction prevented the metallic ringing that a falling hat would have made upon a collision with the ground. Frightened looks met over the man's bare head.

While the two of them had been struggling with the first man, Peter decided not to wait. He confidently made his way toward the other guard. He counted on the man to consider the sound of his feet as belonging to his returning comrade. When he heard a clink behind him, he sped up. In the light of the man's torch, Peter noticed the absence of a ring hood or a helmet, so he drew his dagger. When he was within reach, the guard suddenly turned. The man's eyes bulged out and his mouth opened to scream. Peter quickly thrust his weapon and stabbed the man under his chin and than pulled it to the side, cutting his artery. The man staggered back and crashed into the battlements. Then Peter caught him and laid him on the ground.

When the three of them met again, none of them spoke. Their eyes were wide, they were breathing fast, and their hearts were pounding. They just stood there for a moment, listening for the sound of alarm. They had made some noise, but it seemed to went unnoticed. When the adrenaline rush subsided, Sir Capon patted Henry on the back.

"I must say, Henry, I've heard a lot about you, I've seen you beat men in tournaments, but breaking men's neck with bare hands? That's not something you see every day!" The nobleman praised Henry in an excited whisper.

"Well… ehm, thank you, sir," stammered Henry still a bit in daze. He couldn't quite believe what he had just done. He had killed many men before, but never without a weapon. Being older and more experienced, Peter let the two young men to calm down a bit and then suggested they move the body lying on the ground nearby. They dragged him to the guardhouse above the gate. They successfully overcame the first obstacle, but the harder part was yet to come.

***

Sir Robard was not especially pious man. Of course, he was a proper Christian and attended Mass as often as his duties allowed, but in everyday life he liked to rely on his own abilities rather than invoking God and passively waiting for what would happen. But that night, he prayed. He didn't kneel, he was too nervous for that. He was pacing and every now and then he sent glances toward Talmberg and prayers to heavens. Sir Hanush and Sir Divish also did not sleep. They sat in Divish's tent, drank wine and their thoughts were turned to God. Well, Hanush was also thinking about what would he write to Capon's mother should the young nobleman die tonight.

***

According to the captured messenger, two men were to guard the inner courtyard. So far, everything had been as described by the prisoner, which had Henry somewhat reassured, but it did not mean that he would lose all caution. He waited on the steps at the gate for a guard to return, the one walking the courtyard on the ground. Capon and Peter were supposed to sneak around him and get rid of the man on the gallery. Henry had his dagger ready in hand. This man also had no neck protection, as he had noticed when the guard had walked to the gate for the first time.

Finally a light appeared. The flame illuminated the stones in the arch of the gate. Henry watched intently as the man walked by. He was ready to jump after him if he looked in his direction. But the guard looked straight ahead. When he reached the gate, Henry expected him to turn around and go back again. Instead, the man set down his torch, then untied the front of his trousers and began to urinate, eyes fixed on the wall in front of him. Henry did not hesitate, he could not miss such an opportunity. Conveniently, the guard stood with his back to him. A few inaudible steps, a hand pressed to a mouth and a sharp blade ran across the man's neck. The body immediately dropped, like a puppet with its strings cut. Henry caught him at the last moment and laid him on the ground. Then he quickly blocked the poor devil's mouth again, as the man began to make wheezing, bubbling noises and his whole body shook. Henry knelt there with his hands on the man's face, staring straight ahead so he wouldn't have to look at the man's bare body, or perhaps accidentally look into the dying man's eyes. He didn't care much for either. After a moment that seemed more like an eternity to him, the movement stopped. Henry got up quickly and walked away.

As soon as he calmed down again, he walked slowly to the courtyard. He clung to the wall of the house he had slept in when he had visited Talmberg for the first time. He stopped at the corner and listened. The guard's rattling steps were still audible but then, suddenly, they fell silent. Instead, there was a clang and a muffled moan, ending after a while with a wet gurgling sound. And then there was silence again. Henry was convinced that someone must have heard them this time. That the door would open soon and a gang of armed men would break into the courtyard and their plans would come to an end. But nothing happened. Sir Capon and Peter soon joined him. The young nobleman had dark blotches on his pale cheeks and a slightly wide-eyed look. Henry dared to hug him briefly, awkwardly. He felt the young man needed it. And he wasn't wrong.

"This one was hopefully the last," whispered Hans Capon after he broke free of Henry's grasp. "It will be easy from now on."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one wasn't so bad... I think. More action, less thoughts - less opportunities for mistaken tenses and other stuff. Still, I suppose there are some problems. Would anyone care to point them out to me?


	5. Chapter 5

Henry was inclined to agree with Capon's assessment, however, there was still the danger that one of the men inside would wake up, go out into the courtyard and sound the alarm. They had to hurry. But first they returned to the gate. It had been agreed that they would meet with the pair who were to eliminate the guards on the southern and eastern walls. The men were already waiting for them there. One of them was sitting on the steps, holding his arm, but Henry's concerned question was waved away. When they confirmed that everyone had done their task, Henry suggested an idea which had been nagging him for a while:

"I think we should try to capture Toth." Stunned silence followed. Then Sir Capon said:

"Have you lost your mind, Henry?! This is not what we have agreed on."

"I know. But what if they discover us when we are running away with Lady Stephanie and Sir Radzig? It would be better to have our own hostage, wouldn't it? A dagger on Toth's neck will guarantee our safety," said Henry with conviction.

"Only if it works. And Robard swept this idea off the table as too dangerous," Capon replied, but it sounded weak, as if he was just saying what was expected of him. Henry sensed an opportunity.

"But Robard isn't here. So far everything have gone smoothly and we know that Tóth has no guard with him... "

Capon hesitated for a moment, then gave in. "To hell with you, Henry! All right, we'll do it. What is your plan?"

"It's quite simple. I'll go get Lady Stephanie and my father. I can handle one guardsmanmyself and then me and fatherboth can help Lady Stephanie. You, Peter and Vítek," he nodded at the mentioned men, "will capture Tóth. Three men must be more than enough." Henry spoke quickly to make up for the time lost by their quarrel. "Adam will keep watch by the gate. If they sound the alarm, you'll open it and run for help." The man with the injured hand nodded.

"Good, I like that. Finally, I'll show my uncle that I'm not the good-for-nothing he thinks I am," Sir Capon got excited about Henry's plan. "Where are we going to meet?"

"Here at the gate, again" replied Henry. In his enthusiasm, he forgot about his promise that he would look after Capon and consciously defied Sir Robard's order. Asking for forgiveness was always easier than begging for permission, as he had had the chance to see several times. They didn't wait any longer and set off.

Henry needed to get to the gallery leading around the walls to the tower first. So he climbed to the roof of one of the wooden sheds that stood glued to the wall and from there he reached the beams supporting the stairs. He had to try several times before he was able to pull himself to a beam. Then he climbed over the railing and after a few steps stood at the entrance to the tower. He took several deep breaths and pulled out a set of lockpicks. With a barely audible creaking, he started to work. After a while, he heard a faint click and thanked God for bringing him together with the miller Peshek. When he had first learned to pick locks from him, even in his wildest dreams he could not have imagined what this skill would be useful for. He hid his lockpicks and impatiently threw the door wide open. There was a terrible creak.

Henry's heart almost stopped from fright and he was immediately drenched in cold sweat.

"Is that you, Wenceslas?" A voice sounded from above the stairs. "Are you going to relieve me already?"

Henry looked around wildly. Where to hide?

"Hey, come upstairs. You know we aren't supposed to take eyes off him," said the guard from the floor above him.

So Henry prepared his dagger and went up with sweaty hands and his heart pounding.

***

Radzig Kobyla had found himself in many precarious situations during his life, but he did never felt so helpless before. Or foolish. The reckless stunt he had performed during the attack on Talmberk was something he would have expected of Henry rather than himself. Apparently, the rashness that his son often displayed was an inherited trait. He himself had overcome and tamed it over the years, or so he liked to think. When it manifested itself once in a while, it usually happened at the most inopportune moment. He really outdid himself this time. And so he was sitting here the second night in a row, with his hands tied behind his back and relentless thoughts that kept him awake. He did not worry about his life; he knew that Istvan would not kill him outright, but he was worried about Henry. The last time he saw his son's face, there was a mixture of anger and determination and it was clear to him that Henry would try something stupid. He could only hope that Hanush with Divish and Robard would keep an eye on him.

In the end, sleep overcame him. But barely a moment passed and a voice of the guard sitting near the stairs woke him from his sleep. Radzig blinked, trying to adjust his eyes in the torchlight. Changing of the guards didn't make sense to him, it was too early. And obviously his jailer thought so too, because he stood up and glanced around, looking for his hourglass. When he finally spotted them, he cursed because it was overturned.

Radzig grinned a little maliciously at the man's clumsiness. But then the smile froze on his lips for he had just seen his son on the stairs. He tried his best to control his expression so that he did not give him away. However, the guard must had heard something because he turned.

"What are you…" In the middle of the sentence, he found out that the figure on the stairs was not his friend Wenceslaus and his hand went to a mace behind his belt.

Henry hurried to him, grabbed the handle of his half-pulled out mace and struck the man in the face with the hilt of his dagger. Well, he tried. Radzig saw the man to jerk his head and the weapon slid harmlessly on the mail coif. Yet the blow shook the man. He staggered, took a step back and tripped over the chair he had been sitting on earlier. Unfortunately, he pulled Henry to the ground with him, because Henry did not have time to drop the mace. The wooden planks rumbled as two heavy bodies hit them.

Radzig, meanwhile, stood up determined to help his son in some way. He ran to the fighting men. They let go of the mace that was useless to them on the ground and were wrestling for the dagger. Once Radzig was near them, he kicked the guard in the head. That was enough to distract him for a moment. Henry freed his hand with the weapon and thrusted it in the man's eye socket. He breathed hard for a moment, then released the dagger and stood up shakily. Before he could say anything, Radzig spoke first:

"There is another one upstairs."

His son paled and stared at him. Then he turned quickly, picked up the mace from the floor, and ran to the stairs, just in time. Another guard was already running down. Henry halted, raised his hand and with a single blow smashed the man's knee. He fell to the ground screaming. There, Henry finished him of with a second blow to the head. Then he dropped his mace and turned back to Radzig. Disgusted expression was replaced by an embarrassed smile.

"Father!"

***

Hans Capon, with Peter and Vítek on his heels, hurried to the main building. At the back, he heard a faint rustle as Henry tried to climb the tower. And then they were standing in front of the door to the banquet hall. There was some kind of silent agreement behind him and he suddenly found himself behind both guards. Before he could protest, Peter took the handle. It was unlocked. Hans watched him to peer carefully into the room, then Peter gestured for them.

The room was empty and only embers smouldered in the fireplace. They headed to the left, to Sir Divish's bedchamber. There Peter tried slowly and very carefully to open the door. This one was locked as expected.

"What now? We can't kick it out," whispered Hans, pointing to the hinges - the door opened towards them.

"If I may, sir," said Vitek, "I have some lockpicks."

"Get to work!"

Vítek took Peter's place and started poking in the lock. Hans tried to see something, but the passage to the door was narrow and the shoulders of the men in front of him were wide. However, he heard the lockpick breaking quite well.

"Fuck!" said Vítek. "What if he heard us?"

"Go on, we can't back down now," Peter urged, stretching his arms. Hans was shifting his weight. Soon, more pleasant sound was heard. Faint click of an unlocked lock. Vítek hid the lockpick and then they burst in.

***

Much later, when it was all over, Hans Capon wondered if they could have done it differently. Had they overlooked some possibility? Some way to get Istvan and avoid what had happened. But he never thought about it for too long fearing that the answer would be yes.

***

Istvan Toth was already waiting for them. Vítek, who went first, collided with him and got stabbed in his belly. With a moan, he slumped to the floor, right under Peter's feet. Peter tripped over him and, while falling, instinctively grabbed what was closest to him, which happened to be Toth's shirt. There was a bang as they both landed on the wooden frame of Divish's bed, followed by an angry yelling and calls for help. Hans circled the moaning Vítek, slid along the wall and threw himself on the ground, where he vaguely sensed Istvan's writhing body. The Hungarian was trying to throw off the senseless Peter.

What followed was a short, ugly brawl, unworthy of both noblemen. In complete darkness, they were fighting like little boys, weapons long forgotten. Driven by the desire to end the fight as quickly as possible, Hans Capon eventually resorted to something really low. He rolled Toth over him and then kicked him in the groin with his knee. The Hungarian nobleman screamed and fell on his side, hands instinctively thrust between his legs. Hans pulled a dagger from his belt, knelt beside Toth and pressed it to his neck. Toth immediately froze, but continued to gasp as he tried to overcome the pain.

And it was just in time. Men with torches and weapons in their hands appeared in the doorway. Hans got up quickly and pulled Toth to his feet. He was well aware that his hold on Toth was the only thing preventing an utter disaster.

"Let us through," he ordered, trying hard to suppress the shaking of his voice. The guards retreated and he and his prisoner entered the lighted dining room. However, he stopped immediately and his eyes widened - on the opposite side stood, in the hands of one of the men, Lady Stephanie with a dagger on her neck.

"Shit!" he swore and Istvan Toth in front of him started to laugh.


	6. Chapter 6

Henry walked over to Radzig and hugged him in a sudden fit of joy. But then he realized what he was doing. He blushed, lowered his arms and looked at his shoes in embarrassment.

"Henry," his father said in a kind voice, "believe me, I would like to hug you too, but…" and he turned to show his bound hands.

"Oh, of course." Henry's glance fell on the dagger, still stuck in the guard's eye. He pulled it out quickly, wiped it on the man's clothes and freed his father. After Radzig was free, he really embraced Henry briefly.

"I am, of course, glad to see you, but what in the God's name are you doing here?"

"We came to save you." It was only now that Henry really looked around the room. "Where is Lady Stephanie? You were supposed to be together!"

Now it was Radzig's turn to look embarrassed. "I am afraid this is my fault. She was, indeed, here with me, but this morning I was able to persuade Sir Toth to allow her to stay in her own room. I thought it would be better for her."

Henry put his head in his hands. Immediately afterwards he cursed rudely and grabbed his father's hand, ignoring his disapprovingly raised eyebrows. "Sir Capon! We must go to him at once!" He ran to the stairs and dragged his father with him. Along the way, he picked up the mace he had previously thrown away.

"Henry, wait! Would you care to explain to me what is going on?" There was some dissatisfaction in Radzig's voice, but he did not stop.

Henry let go of his hand and quickly described their entire plan. "And so now Sir Capon doesn't know that Lady Stephanie isn't with us and Toth certainly won't go with them quietly and…" During Henry's speech they came to the door. One look outside and Henry knew that his fears were justified. There were raised voices coming from the main building. The courtyard was empty.

Henry leaned over the railing and looked to the gate. It was open and the guard nowhere in sight.

"Adam is probably on his way to fetch Sir Robard. And we really have to go to Capon," he said impatiently.

"Hal, stop for a moment and think. If he has not been killed by now, he is probably safe. He can always say that he is a nobleman and then they will leave him alive for sure. One of the benefits of our status… And if he is dead, well, we cannot help him any more and we will just put ourselves in danger needlessly."

What his father said made sense, Henry had to admit. "So what are we going to do?"

Now it was Radzig who took his hand to indicate that he should to follow him. "We will check on Lady Stephanie first. I am afraid it is too late, but we have to do it. Then we will go and find out what happened to Sir Capon."

The Talmberg lady's room was empty and it seemed that its occupant had left in hurry. Henry exchanged a worried look with his father and they both sped up. On the stairs outside, voices could be heard again from the open door of the banquet hall. As they approached, Henry recognized first Toth's and then Capon's voice. He lunged forward eagerly, but his father stopped him and gestured for him to listen.

Inside, Toth was mocking the younger nobleman. "Well, young sir, what happens now? Are we going to stand here until morning? You are alone and there are a lot of us. We just have to wait. You will get tired, make a mistake. You can barely stand as it is. You do not think that someone will come to your rescue, do you?"

Henry bristled at these words. The smug tone of Istvan's voice aroused an almost uncontrollable rage in him. He gripped the handle of his mace and took a step forward. Fortunately for him and everyone else involved, Radzig moved a bit faster and stepped briskly into the room. Henry was hot on his heels.

"Strong words, Sir Istvan, for someone in your situation," said Radzig. All heads in the room turned to them. Henry saw looks of surprise, incomprehension and few threatening ones. However, he was most interested in Sir Capon. Huge relief dominated in his gaze and there were traces of a recent struggle on his face. He really seemed to be only a few moments from collapse.

Then he noticed Lady Stephanie who was dressed only in a nightgown and surrounded by Toth's men. She was bravely trying to overcome her fear, but she was still trembling. The guards around her clutched their weapons so much that their joints were white and their stiff attitudes betrayed nervousness. The tension in the room was palpable. The only one who looked completely calm was Istvan Toth.

"Sir Radzig, I see you have grown tired of our hospitality. However, Lady Stephanie seems to be content." Even now the haughty tone of the Hungarian's voice did not disappear. Henry wondered whether he could speak in a different way.

"No doubt she will be even happier when she is her own mistress in her own castle again," said Radzig, bowing slightly toward Lady Stephanie. "And speaking of hospitality, I am sure you will appreciate my son Henry's company in addition to Sir Capon's," he continued.

Henry, glancing from his father at Toth and back again, immediately understood Radzig's meaning and moved quickly to the pair of noblemen. On his way, he managed to smirk at Toth and then he grabbed his arm. The men opposite them half-raised their weapons and some took a step forward. The daggers on the necks of both hostages dug into the skin even more.

"Back off!" hissed their commander. Hands with weapons dropped and everyone in the room relaxed imperceptibly. Henry exchanged a gleeful look with Sir Capon.

"Enough games, Radzig," Istvan turned back. "I am beginning to tire of this situation. We can skip all those diplomatic pleasantries and move straight to the solution. When I give the order, my men will release the Lady and the two whelps behind me will withdraw. We will then be so generous that we will walk away from Talmberg and leave you alone, even though you are outnumbered and we could crush you easily."

During his speech, Henry turned to Capon and his father several times in disbelief to make sure he heard correctly. He had never seen such an amount of arrogance and smugness before and he had to try really hard not to punch the Hungarian nobleman. He hoped his father wouldn't tolerate it and looked at him expectantly.

Radzig had listened to the whole proposal with a calm face, his hand resting on his chin and giving the impression of attentive civility. When Toth had finished speaking, he just smiled and replied: "Interesting suggestion, Sir Istvan. Truly advantageous for you and your men and perhaps for us as well. However, if you will allow me, I will adhere to diplomacy for a while yet. I believe that I have a better solution to this unfortunate situation." He then turned from him and addressed Istvan's men: "Who is your commander? I mean the next in line after Sir Toth," he added hastily, when all eyes turned to the Hungarian. A man in the foreground raised his hand and took a step forward.

"If you want to negotiate with someone, Radzig, then do so with me. I am the one making decisions here," shouted Toth, involuntarily trying to step toward Radzig. Henry tightened the grip on his hand and felt Capon to move beside him to adjust the position of his dagger. Radzig did not even bother to turn.

"You are mistaken about that, sir," he said simply and then spoke to Toth's deputy again. "What is your name?"

The man frowned at him, bit his tongue for a moment, then replied: "Jacob. From Choratitz. "

"Well, Jacob of Choratitz. You heard what Sir Toth suggested. It probably seems like a good idea to you, does it not? ”

Jacob nodded briefly and continued to watch Radzig mistrustfully.

"Unfortunately, Sir Toth has omitted to mention what awaits you behind these walls. As you know, Talmberg is besieged. Sir Divish and Sir Hanush have gathered a considerable strength of men, we scattered your fortified settlement on Vranik. Even if you get out of the castle, you have nowhere to go. Sooner or later, our men will catch up with you and then, at best, you will die in battle. If captured, hanging or the wheel will be your fate." As Radzig spoke, Jacob's eyes bulged out. The men behind him fidgeted and glanced at each other. Radzig continued:

"However, if you release Lady Stephanie and leave immediately, I swear to your upon my nobleman's honour that you will be allowed to leave the region freely and nothing will happen to you."

"And Toth? What will happen to him?"

"Sir Istvan will remain our guest." Silence fell upon the room.

Henry silently rejoiced and had to admire his father's shrewdness and eloquence. He saw a whole range of conflicting emotions on Jacob's face. Istvan Toth must have seen it too, because he immediately shouted:

"Pcha! A nobleman's honour says the man who fathers a bastard and then does not even own up to him. What worth does have the word of one who deceives his own blood?!" Henry gasped and raised his hand to strike. Sir Capon beside him hissed angrily.

"Gentlemen, control yourselves," admonished them Sir Radzig.

"But father, are you really going to let him insult you like that?" asked Henry defiantly.

"Henry, Sir Toth could only offend me and insult my honour if he had one himself," his father replied calmly. Toth could not find any reply to that, so he just spat angrily. Henry gritted his teeth, but nodded briefly at his father to let him know he accepted the answer. However, he continued to crush Toth's arm in an iron grip.

While the noblemen were arguing, Jacob and the rest of the men quietly debated with each other. When Radzig turned to them, they straightened quickly and Jacob stepped forward again.

"You speak well, sir. But tell me, what's stopping us from killing you all and then just disappearing. No one will notice us in the middle of the night."

"Of course, you could try that. But then your lives are forfeit. If my word is not enough for you, then consider: At this moment, the castle gate is already opened and Sir Robard is on his way with a contingent of men. My offer is still stands." Radzig finished, folded his arms and waited.

"Do not believe him," raged Toth. "He is just trying to intimidate you! Besides, I pay you well. You will not have that kind of money anywhere else!"

"You mean the false groschen? Silver-plated coppers that you have had produced in large amounts so you wouldn't have to spend real money?" Henry laughed. "You really won't get such coins anywhere else!"

There was a commotion amongst Toth's men. They all started to yell, complain, threaten. Poor Lady Stephanie flew in the hands of her jailer, who had completely forgotten to watch over her and now waved both hands to give way to his anger. Jacob had to yell at them for a while before they finally calmed down.

When there was silence again, Henry heard the thumping of many feet outside. And he was not alone. Everyone in the room turned to the door. Sir Radzig jumped aside and Sir Robard burst into the room. Behind him, a large group of men could be seen.

Jacob of Choratitz paled and blurted out: "We accept your offer, sir!" His weapon rattled on the floor and the other men followed his example.


	7. Epilog

From then on, everything happened rather quickly. Lady Stephanie, finally free, ran to Radzig. Sir Robard's men pushed inside and surrounded Jacob and his companions. And Istvan Toth made a last, somewhat desperate, attempt to free himself. Henry and Sir Capon knocked him to the floor with great pleasure and twisted his hands behind his back. Someone fetched a piece of rope from somewhere and handed it to Henry. He tied the Hungarian's hands together and made sure to tighten the binds as much as possible. Toth protested loudly all the time shouting they could not treat a nobleman this way, but no one listened to him. Henry then watched with great satisfaction as two of Robard's men led him away.

As soon as Toth disappeared from sight, Henry had a strange, unreal feeling. He couldn't believe that their crazy plan had really worked. True, things happened differently than he had expected, but in the end everything turned out well. A hand landed on his shoulder rousing him from his thoughts. He turned and looked into Sir Capon's laughing face.

"Henry, we really did it! I can't wait till uncle finds out. Um, well…" The joy on Capon's face was replaced by embarrassment.

"Why are you blushing, sir? After all, you captured Toth and so you have a big share of our success," flattered him Henry.

"Eh, Hal, if I told you how I did it, you would be blushing too." Suddenly the young nobleman paled. "Vítek and Peter! Come on!" he shouted, grabbing Henry by the sleeve and pulled him into Sir Divish's chamber.

There Henry's good mood quickly evaporated. There were two limp bodies on the floor. Vítek was still alive, but the glassy look and the large bloody puddle beneath him indicated that it was too late to save him. Without a word, Henry drew his dagger and ended Vítek's suffering. Then he moved to Peter. From the unnatural angle of the head to the rest of the body, he figured the man had broken his neck.

"They had insisted that they would go first," muttered Hans Capon beside him. Henry had nothing to say to that. Capon was a nobleman and they were subjects. Had he been here instead of them, he would go first too. That was the way of the world they lived in. Henry was about to get up and leave when he suddenly saw a sword leaning against a chest in the corner. He reached for it with tense anticipation and indeed - it was the sword he and his father had forged in Skalitz that fateful day. He gripped it firmly in his hand and stood up resolutely. Both of them came out of the room in sombre mood. Their victory just turned bitter.

While they were gone, the occupants of the dining hall changed somewhat. Toth's and Robard's men were gone and Lady Stephanie was also nowhere to be seen, but Sir Hanush and Sir Divish had arrived. They were now standing in the middle of the room, discussing something lively with Sir Radzig. When they saw the two young men, they interrupted their debate and praised them. Sir Divish thanked them sincerely for rescuing his wife and castle and Sir Hanush, in addition to praise, did not forget to scold them for being hot-headed fools. However, the smile on his face was a sign that he was exceedingly pleased with their actions. Hans Capon accepted all this with far greater humility than Henry would have expected from him. He himself bowed absently to the two lords, paying attention only to his father. Radzig obviously sensed this as he motioned for him to follow.

Together they went out into the courtyard and continued silently to the walls above the gate. There they stopped and looked at each other.

"Henry…"

"Father…" they both spoke at the same time, then stopped. Neither of them knew what to do next. Then Henry remembered what he was still holding.

"I brought you your sword, which my father… well, Martin and I made for you," he said and stretched out his hand with the weapon.

Radzig took it and examined it. "Truly a masterpiece," he remarked after a moment, "but the sword belongs to you, son." Then he put one arm around Henry's shoulders and they sat down with their backs against the wall. And as they watched the sky gradually colour with dawn, Radzig began to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we are at the end. The epilog is rather short, but I think it works better than a longer one.   
> Some feedback about grammar and such would be really appreciated. Thanks and bye.


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